"EGYPTIAN President Hosni Mubarak has appointed intelligence chief Omar Suleiman as his first vice-president and also named a new prime minister.

"Omar Suleiman has been sworn in as deputy to President Hosni Mubarak," state news agency MENA reported on Saturday. Shortly afterwards, state television showed images of Mr Suleiman, an army general and Mubarak confidante, saluting Mr Mubarak after taking the oath of office.

Soon after Mr Suleiman was sworn in, Mr Mubarak tapped the current aviation minister, Ahmed Shafiq, to form a new government. Mr Shafiq is respected by the Egyptian elite, even among the opposition, and has often been suggested as a potential successor to Mr Mubarak. He is a former air force commander and head of Egyptair."